National Sports Day

National Sports Day is celebrated every year on August 29. On this day in 1905, the greatest hockey player in history, Major Dhyan Chand Singh was born. He is often called the “Wizard of Hockey”. On his birth anniversary, we celebrate National Sports Day. 

Major Dhyan Chand won 3 Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, which was named in honour of Major Dhyan Chand, is the highest sporting honour in India. Earlier, this award was known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. 

Dhyan Chand Singh was born as Dhyan Singh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. He became popular in the field of hockey before India’s Independence. He started his hockey career while serving in the British Indian Army. He was highly dedicated to the sport. Since he spent most of his day performing his duties, he only had free time during the night to practice hockey. He spent hours playing hockey under the moonlight. This earned him the title “Chand”, meaning moon in Hindi. 

He went on to become the greatest hockey legend in the world, with a hockey career spanning from 1926 to 1948. Throughout his life, he scored over 400 goals and represented India in 185 hockey matches. He received the Padma Bhushan the same year he retired, in 1956.